Day 714 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Massive Missile Attack Across The Country, Bulgarian Delegation Hid In Bomb Shelter

Day 714 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

• The window of opportunity is closing. Russia is trying to trap the AFU in Avdiivka
• Turkish drone manufacturer Bayraktar has started building a factory in Ukraine
• Six injured in Kyiv in Russian missile attack, one killed in Mykolaiv
• Air alert throughout Ukraine, explosions in Kyiv
• Parliament Speaker Rosen Zhelyazkov and the Bulgarian delegation left the bomb shelter
• Zelensky ordered the creation of specialized drone troops
• How US GLSDB bombs will help Ukraine
• Because of American weapons, Russia replaced Ecuadorian bananas with Indian ones

The window of opportunity is closing. Russia is trying to trap the AFU in Avdiivka

Russian state television reported that Russian troops had entered Avdiika. Kyiv has not officially confirmed, but Ukrainian analysts talk about the plight of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and the beginning of fighting in the city.

What is happening to the defense of the small town in Donetsk region that Russian forces have been unsuccessfully trying to occupy since February 2022?

"Russian forces managed to break through the enemy's defenses and reach the outskirts of the settlement," Russian First Channel reported on the situation in Avdiivka on February 1.

The Russians are said to have already taken back 19 houses on the outskirts.

According to the BBC, a group of Russian servicemen actually managed to reach the southernmost streets of Avdiivka: Sportivna, Chernishevska, Lesnaya, Sedova and Soborna streets around January 19.

Russian military bloggers claim that Russia has created an entire bridgehead in this area - behind the "Tsarska Okoliya" restaurant complex.

In the afternoon of February 6, a video recording of the explosion of a Bradley armored car on Chernishevsky Street was broadcast on Russian television channels. This is said to have happened during a failed attempt by the AFU to push the enemy out of the city.

Ukrainian authorities denied the start of "urban fighting" and said the Russian sabotage and intelligence group in the southern outskirts had already been driven out.

However, already on February 5, the authoritative Ukrainian analytical portal DeepState reported that the situation in Avdiivka was worsening. The Russians began to attack not only in the southern, but also in the northern outskirts of the city, in the area of the cottage settlement near the Avdeev coke plant.

"Traditionally, there are many question marks about the preparation of defense facilities both around and inside the city," notes DeepState.

Ukrainian military correspondent and editor-in-chief of Censor.Net Yury Butusov, who visited Avdiivka on February 5, said that Russian troops were already 1.2 km from the entrance to the town.

A day later, the head of the military administration of Avdiivka, Vitaly Barabash, admitted that the situation was becoming critical.

"The situation is tense. If a few weeks ago we said it was difficult but controllable, now it is very difficult and we can even say that the situation is critical in some places," he said.

At the same time, he notes that there are no street fights in the city, but separate groups of Russians are trying to break through. According to Barabash, in just 24 hours, the Russian army dropped 37 bombs from the air on the city and fired 50 shells.

The head of the press service of the Tavric Operational-Strategic Group of Troops Dmitry Likhovoi refused to comment on reports of the beginning of fighting in the urban part of Avdiivka.

"We have heard such comments from unofficial sources, but we do not comment on this because the situation is constantly changing," he said.

And it adds that in recent days, Russian forces have stepped up attacks with more engagements, airstrikes and the use of FPV drones.

"Our defenders and patrons are steadfastly holding the defense, inflicting a complete fire defeat on the enemy. At the same time, the enemy is suffering significant losses and preparing new reserves to bring into action," said Likhovoi.

He noted that the logistics of the defenders in Avdiivka is stable, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine are taking measures to improve the defense by installing additional firing positions and observation posts.

"The situation is difficult, but it is under control," assured the representative of "Tavria" group.

The intention of the Russian command is quite obvious. Russian troops spent almost four months, suffered significant losses in manpower and equipment, but were still unable to carry out a "large-scale bypass" of Avdiivka. That is, they failed to advance on the southern and northern flanks and tighten the ring around the town, cutting off the supply lines of the Ukrainian defenders.

In this situation, the Russian troops switch to another plan. In mid-January, they managed to use an underground shaft to break through to the Ukrainian position near the Tsarska Okoliya restaurant in the southern part of the city. It is obvious that their next goal is to move north along Sobornaya and Chernyshevsky streets to reach the area of nine- and five-story houses of the so-called "9th district." It is located 1.5-2 km from the Russian bridgehead and is of important tactical importance.

On the other hand, a group of Russian soldiers is trying to make its way from the northern part of the city to the intersection near the bus depot in Avdiivka, near the "Log" restaurant complex. In this way, they will be able to cut off the main logistical artery of AFU - road 00542.

To do this, the Russian army must completely seize the private residential complex and cross the railway tracks.

DeepState points out that it has already achieved partial success. On February 4 and 5, the Russians moved some of their personnel into the cottage area and attempted to occupy a bridge over the railroad tracks. The bridge is 500 meters from the motor base and one kilometer from the "Log" position.

All this is being done to halve the Ukrainian presence in Avdiikka. That is, either to force the Ukrainian forces in the south and southeast of the city - in the area of the 9th district and the position "Zenith" - to withdraw, or to be surrounded, cutting off the supply routes in the area of \u200b\u200bIndustrial Prospect and Road 00542.

The AFU fighters, who hold the territory of the Avdiivka coke plant in the northern part of the city, will also be in a difficult situation.

"In the event of even partial success and maintaining their current positions, the Ukrainian troops in the city will already be in a much more difficult position and will be forced to move their supply lines from convenient streets covered with houses to open fields in the western part of the city," the Russian Telegram channel "Military Informator" explains the purpose of these actions.

Ukrainian military analyst Mykhailo Zhirokhov said it was difficult to get a complete picture of the events in Avdiivka. This is due to both the intensity of the fighting and the lack of a stable telephone connection in the city.

"For now, it is clear that the Russians are besieging (Avdiivka) from two sides, and it is clear that they have a few hundred meters left to the main highway that leads north. Now it is under Russian fire, but it is functioning," the expert said.

As for street fighting, Zhirokhov points out the difference between Avdiivka and Bakhmut. While in the latter there is flat terrain and dense multi-story buildings, in Avdeevka it is the opposite.

"In Avdiivka, things are different. If the Russians take control of the '9th district', which is located on high ground, then further fighting for Avdiivka will not matter. Because from there it is already possible to control the territory to the neighboring settlements. If they occupy it, they will be able to deploy drones and artillery there, and then the Ukrainian defense in the city will not make sense. Even the coke plant will be in their hands," commented the analyst.

He believes a repeat of the situation in Bakhmut last spring, when Russian forces, mainly mercenaries of PMC Wagner, slowly moved through the city, house by house, block by block, pushing the Ukrainian army to the eastern outskirts, is unlikely.

What should Ukrainian troops do?

According to Mykhailo Zhirokhov, there are two options: to reinforce the defenders and launch counterattacks in the rear of the Russian troops, or to withdraw the AFU gradually from the city.

"But now I don't see any signs of either strengthening or counterattacks. This is surprising to me," the expert said.

According to him, the AFU has reserves and they can be withdrawn from other, more peaceful areas. This tactic is already being used by the Russian Federation, which is actively transferring reserves to Avdiivka from other fronts.

If both sides decide to engage in street fighting, it will be a challenge for the soldiers.

"In order to conduct street battles, motivated and trained infantry is necessary - only fighters from the ranks of the mobilized cannot cope. This is a specific type of fighting," the expert points out.

If the Ukrainian authorities do decide to withdraw from the half-destroyed town, there is still time to do so. But it is not much, Zhirokhov is sure.

"The point of no return has not yet been passed. It is still possible to gradually withdraw the Ukrainian army along the borders. But the window of opportunity is closing. And fast," he notes.

The military command did not comment on the matter, but emphasized that the lives of Ukrainian military personnel are a priority.

"As the leaders of the Ukrainian state and the armed forces have repeatedly stated, in the most difficult circumstances on the battlefield, the priority is to preserve the lives of the people, the defenders of Ukraine," says Dmitry Likhovoi.

Turkish drone manufacturer Bayraktar has started building a factory in Ukraine

Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar has started construction of a factory near Kyiv, Ukraine, the head of the defense company Selcuk Bayraktar said today, quoted by Reuters.

The factory is expected to provide more than 500 jobs for the production of one of the models of unmanned aerial combat drones - "Bayraktar": TB-2 or TB-3.

Since 2018, deals for the export of the TB-2 drone have been signed with 30 countries, including Ukraine, Ethiopia, Libya and Azerbaijan, Bayraktar also told Reuters.

"Our factory is under construction. It will take about 12 months to complete the construction, after which we will move to using our own equipment and creating an internal organizational structure," the company's head said during his visit to the World Defense Exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The factory's production capacity is expected to be around 120 units per year, but it is not yet clear which of the two models the activity will focus on, Bayraktar added.

Asked if security concerns related to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine would pose a challenge to building the factory, he said "construction is going according to plan" and that "nothing" could stop it. In the context of the Agreement for the sale of the significantly larger Akanji unmanned aerial vehicle to Saudi Arabia, signed in July this year, Bayraktar added that in the next two years, production will also begin in the Saudi kingdom. According to him, this is the largest agreement in the defense history of the Republic, according to Reuters.

The Baykar company plans to double production of the heavy drone "Akanji", whose production amounted to 36 units in 2023, while the production of the TB-2 model will remain at 230 units, as it was last year, the executive concluded of the Turkish drone manufacturer.

Six injured in Kyiv in Russian missile attack, one killed in Mykolaiv

At least one person was killed today in a Russian missile attack against Ukraine in the southern city of Mykolaiv, and six people were injured in Kyiv, part of which was left without electricity, AFP reported.

Russia launched an early morning cruise missile attack against Kyiv and other regions, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Senkevich said a man died of serious injuries in the attack, which left 20 houses without roofs and damaged the port city's gas and water supply systems.

Loud explosions heard in the capital Kyiv by AFP journalists.

The mayor of the city, Vitaliy Klitschko, announced that six people were injured.

A fire broke out in an 18-story apartment block.

The attack comes during a visit to Kyiv by the EU's first diplomat, Josep Borrell, who was in a bomb shelter in his hotel during the missile strikes, the agency said.

Air alert throughout Ukraine, explosions in Kyiv

An air alert was declared across Ukraine this morning, loud explosions were heard in Kyiv early in the morning, Ukrainform reported.

Currently, there is a Bulgarian delegation in the Ukrainian capital, led by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Rosen Zhelyazkov. The security guards woke up all members of the delegation with a warning to go down to the bomb shelter, BNT reported.

The mayor of the capital, Vitaliy Klitschko, announced on Telegram that the air defense systems had been activated.

Around 6 a.m., an air raid alert was issued across Ukraine. The Air Force warned on "Telegram" about the risk of Russian missile strikes.

Oleg Sinegubov, governor of the northeastern Kharkiv region, said Russian missiles hit infrastructure sites in Kharkiv.

The first group of cruise missiles was detected in the Sumy region, Unian clarifies.

Parliament Speaker Rosen Zhelyazkov and the Bulgarian delegation left the bomb shelter

In connection with an air raid alert, the Speaker of the National Assembly Rosen Zhelyazkov and the Bulgarian delegation led by him in Kyiv, Ukraine, were taken to a bomb shelter at 5:50 this morning, where they remained until 9:00, confirmed to BTA from the press center of the parliament.

The Bulgarian parliamentarians have already left the bomb shelter.

Sirens sounded and according to protocol we all went down to a bomb shelter, Rosen Zhelyazkov told Bulgarian journalists. He explained that the children in the bomb shelter made a very strong impression on everyone from the Bulgarian delegation. "Four-five-year-old children who calmly and patiently stand and wait with their parents for the air raid to pass. For the last 2 years, this has been their daily routine. Their childhood is marked by trauma," he added.

The visit of the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Bulgarian delegation to Ukraine is taking place under increased security measures.

Zelensky ordered the creation of specialized drone troops

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today ordered the creation of specialized drone troops, Reuters reported.

"Reuters" notes that according to Zelensky and Ukrainian military commanders, drones play a key role in the war with Russia.

Zelensky signed a decree ordering the government and the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces "to start acting on the issues related to the creation of separate troops for drone systems within the Ukrainian Armed Forces."

"I have just signed a decree that will start the process of creating a separate type of troops within our armed forces - troops for drone systems," Zelensky said in his evening address.

"This is not a question of the future. Concrete results must be achieved very soon. This year must be decisive in many ways. Certainly also on the battlefield. Drone systems have shown their effectiveness on the ground, in the air and at sea," he pointed out. the Ukrainian leader.

How US GLSDB bombs will help Ukraine

The US sent the GLSDB small-diameter long-range bombs to Ukraine. What is this weapon and how will it improve the combat capability of the Ukrainian army? Some experts believe that they can change the situation in favor of Ukraine.

American GLSDB (Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb) bombs were handed over to the Ukrainian military. US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, who visited Kyiv in late January, said that Putin has "pleasant" surprises waiting for him on the battlefield, as well as that “Ukraine will achieve a very strong success this year”. What are these weapons and how could they help Ukraine?

The GLSDBs are a combination of the GBU-39 small diameter aerial bomb (SDB) and a rocket engine from decommissioned M26 rockets. They were decommissioned in the US and European countries as part of the refusal of cluster weapons after the adoption of the relevant convention in Oslo in 2008. However, the engines for them remained in the warehouses.

The American concern Boeing and the Swedish company Saab proposed that these engines be used to improve the SDB aviation bomb, which is in service with the armies of a number of countries, including the United States and Norway. This bomb is launched only from an aircraft and in flight spreads its wings to plan in autonomous mode. In addition, it is capable of changing its direction of movement and attacking targets located even behind the aircraft.

The latest version of the SDB is equipped with a combined guidance system - an inertial navigation system (used mainly to overcome areas where satellite signals are jammed) and GPS, as well as a millimeter-range radar, infrared and laser sensors. Thanks to laser guidance, the aerial bomb can hit moving targets, Saab notes. The flight range of the SDB, according to Boeing, reaches 110 kilometers. The weight of the warhead is 93 kilograms. It can penetrate reinforced concrete almost a meter thick.

All these features are also present in the GLSDB, but the combination with the jet engine has increased the radius of flight of the munition to 150 kilometers. In addition, as noted by Saab, the GLSDB is capable of hitting targets with an accuracy of up to 1 meter. Launchers of reactive systems for volley fire - M270, HIMARS, Chunmoo - are suitable for launching the bomb. Ukraine already has the first two. "Consequently, Ukraine does not need to train personnel or import new installations," Mykhailo Samus, a Ukrainian expert on international programs at the Kyiv Center for Research on the Army, Conversion and Disarmament, told DW.

He also noted that GLSDB is a cheap munition for Western rocket launchers. "In the end, it's not necessary to manufacture anything, just integrate the two parts - the engine and the bomb - and refine the guidance systems. The cost of the GLSDB is about ,000. The engines are stock. And the ATACMS cost hundreds thousands of dollars," Samus points out. About 20,000 SDBs have been produced since 2006, according to Saab's website.

GLSDB is a completely new development. Boeing and Saab conducted the first tests of the bomb in 2015. Ukraine will be the first country to use the GLSDB in combat conditions. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) expected to receive the GLSDB much earlier. The US announced the transfer of this type of long-range precision munitions as early as February 2023. They were planned to arrive in Ukraine by the end of last year, but plans had to be changed.

"Delivery of these bombs took some time. It's not so much a matter of money as it is a matter of time needed to create the capacity to produce these bombs. Also, the GLSDB is a combination of two different systems, and their integration takes time. And therefore, testing had to be conducted, which ultimately proved successful," Bradley Bauman, senior director at the Center for Military and Political Power at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, explains to DW.

"I assume that the Ukrainians will be interested in striking command and control posts, logistics centers to make it difficult to command and control military units," he added. At the same time, Bauman suggests that armored personnel carriers, tanks and other equipment will also be important targets for the new munitions.

Ukrainian military expert Petro Chernyk commented that Ukraine needs thousands of GLSDBs. "Only the tanks on the front line, which the Russian Federation has at its disposal, number 2,800 units. Armored combat vehicles - about 7,000, artillery systems - about 7,000, and hundreds of anti-aircraft missile complexes," emphasizes the military expert.

Information on the number of GLSDBs handed over to Ukraine is not publicly named. However, according to Petro Chernyk, the AFU will receive only a few dozen bombs for now. "This is a small number, anything up to a hundred is enough, but it is a small number. For example, in November, the Russians used about 1,100 guided heavy bombs - FAB-500 and FAB-250," he summarizes.

However, experts agree that GLSDB will bring many benefits during battles, because the bombs in question have twice the range of the ground-based means of striking targets that Ukraine currently has. "With the help of the weapon in question, Ukraine will be able to deliver massive strikes on the deep rear of the Russian army, and this can change the situation on the front in favor of Ukraine," says expert Mykhailo Samus.

Because of American weapons, Russia replaced Ecuadorian bananas with Indian ones

Russia has started buying bananas from India and will increase imports from that country, the Russian Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control Service Rosselkhoznadzor reported today, as quoted by Reuters. The decision comes after Moscow ditched its biggest importer, Ecuador, over its decision to swap its old Soviet military equipment for new weapons from the US.

The first shipment of bananas from India was transported to Russia in January, and the next one is planned for the end of February, Rosselhoznadzor said, adding that "the volume of exports of the fruit from India to Russia will increase."

Last week, Russia's Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control Service canceled banana imports from five Ecuadorian companies, claiming it had found pesticides in their products.

Media in Ecuador reported today that according to the country's Food Safety Agency, only 0.3% of the fruit's shipments to Russia contained pests, which did not pose a danger.

The denial of the banana shipments came after Moscow condemned a deal under which Ecuador would hand over Soviet military equipment to the US in exchange for 0 million worth of new US weapons.

The United States has announced that arms from Ecuador will help Ukraine on the battlefield against Russia.

Trade relations between Delhi and Moscow have deepened since 2022, when Western European countries imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, forcing the Kremlin to strengthen ties with China, India and other non-Western European countries, Reuters noted.

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